China to display missiles that could hit American ships

LA Times ^ | 9/29/2009 | David Pierson

[Saije]

For the first time in a decade, Beijing on Thursday will showcase its latest armored vehicles, ballistic missiles and fighter jets in a demonstration of military ambition meant to befit the nation's economic rise.

The display of hardware -- part of the nation's 60th anniversary celebrations -- will no doubt stoke national pride. But it's also a chance for China to show an international audience that the world's third-largest economy is investing heavily in defense technology, a strategic sector that Beijing believes will strengthen its regional security and global influence.

Expected to be on display is a new generation of missiles that could potentially strike American naval ships and pound Taiwanese soil from the Chinese mainland. It is the product of two decades of enhanced military spending aimed at overhauling a woefully inefficient and technologically challenged fighting force.

"They have been focusing on catching up in areas where the technological disparity has been the greatest, and cultivating pockets of excellence within the" People's Liberation Army, said David Yang, a political scientist at Rand Corp. "That said, the PLA is a massive, even ponderous, organization, and its professionalization and modernization will remain an arduous process for years to come."

With 2.3 million members, the Chinese army is the largest standing army in the world. Beijing has spent years trying to overcome the army's long-held image as a poorly equipped force consisting mostly of rural enlistees. The army lacks combat experience, having last engaged in a major conflict in 1979 with Vietnam.

Earlier this year, officials announced heavy recruitment of college graduates. More important, Beijing has increased military spending each year by double-digit percentages. China's official military budget was $70.3 billion this year, up sharply from $14.6 billion in 2000, according to Washington-based GlobalSecurity.org.

[socialismislost]

China has ICBM nuclear weapons. Their manpower argument was strictly numbers, not how they would fight. They also happen to own a lot of Treasuries. Its why you see they take down a spy plane, we we end up apologizing. Its why you see the Empire State building being lit up tonight in commeration of Chinese communism. I dont’ remember the Chinese Vietnam war. Could you provide a link for that? China has existed for about 6000 years. It would be good to pick up some history about the Chinese and what wars they have won, in addition to the many dynasties they have had.

The US attacked Japan for bombing Pearl Harbor, not because we cared about pulling them off of Japan.

[myknowledge]

Clinton has armed the nation whose military will be able to kill one third of mankind: the People’s Liberation Army.

[myknowledge]

DH-10 cruise missile (aka Sino-Tomahawk).

[socialismislost]

Thanks Bill! /s And the Empire State Building is now “commemorating” the Chinese communist bastards. How far America has been taken down.

[too_cool_for_skool]

We can all sit around and make claims that the US carrier is invincible, but this fact hasn’t been tested in a long time. In fact I believe the last time a US carrier group faced a peer adversary was in World War II.

China has been aggressively pursuing “carrier killer” technologies - particularly cruise missiles and submarines. I can’t speak for the effectiveness of the Chinese missiles or the American anti-missile systems. However, there was an incident a few years back where a Chinese sub surfaced in the middle of a carrier group, completely undetected, and within torpedo range of a US carrier. Caught the Navy completely by surprise.

I’m a little worried that the USN hasn’t had a real conflict in so long that none of their major tactics or operations have been stressed and tested. Of course I also don’t foresee us going to war with a peer adversary anytime soon either, so its kind of a moot worry.

[JasonC]

Yes it is a moot worry.

We have a long tradition of losing opening battles of wars in which we kick the other guy's teeth in soon enough. It is possible. It makes no difference to the eventual toothless adversary in the not-very-long-run.

The Chinese may attack Taiwan if they think we will sit it out. They aren't going to attack the USN because they are not suicidal nutjobs, and it'd get them thoroughly killed.

The rest is just contractors trying to sell stuff.